Saturday, January 4th
Happy Anniversary to me! One year ago today I self surrendered to the BOP. Hard to believe its been a year already! Got a lot of thoughts about these 12 months, from how quickly they went, to how much prison sucks on many levels, to guilt for the pain I’ve put my family and friends through and much more. I could go on and on but won’t:) The goal is to successfully win my Appeal, that’s where my thoughts and prayers focus every day.
My visit today was awesome. We went from 8:45-1:45 or so, lots to chat about! Time flew as usual, but its always so uplifting when friends or family visits.
Pretty much watched NFL football till 3:30, lockdown till 5. One of the guys, Steve, our 67 year old inmate, has a birthday, so 6 of us threw in ingredients for burritos and my cellmate cooked them, so we had a great dinner around 6. More football and reading ended the day with typing in-between on and off.
Speaking with Steve tonight, the birthday boy, mentioned he had shared the BP-11 wording I had helped him with for his failed drug tests disciplinary issue, now with 8 other guys fighting the same issue here at Lompoc. That not only surprised me but made me feel good about what I’m doing at times as well!
Sunday, January 5th
Woke up today signed up for library 7-12 to work on things and miss count. But I have so much typing I’m behind on which can’t be done there, so stayed here to power type till the 9:30 lockdown. So quiet and feels so good to get 30 minutes typing every 60 minutes:)
I’ve been thinking about my 2025 goals, and decided to do 6 month goals as opposed to 12 month, given how things could change so dramatically the second half of the year. At a minimum I’ll move to the camp, and of course could be released:). So too hard to set goals for the second 6 months of 2025 now. My goals are pretty much more of the same for 2024 anyways:
1. Monitor Appeal Activities- Gov’t response, our response, oral arguments
2. Timely weekly journal and blog posts
3. Assist another 10 inmates with their legal issues/questions
4. Finish A Better Tomorrow book with Derek( He should be out by May at the latest)
5. Complete 2 book reviews/month
6. Read another 40 books for pleasure:)
7. Continue chasing my Medical treatment
8. Prepare for Canadian Treaty transfer application in case necessary after appeal
9. Maintain workout routine minimum 5 days a week
After power typing on/off till 9:30, the guard at the library called me down to skip lockdown since I signed up and he had turned in the count with me there:). Guess once signed up, you can’t change your mind:). Worked out perfect as I got 3 more hours productivity as opposed to being in my cell….
12:30-2 went back to my Unit, watched NFL, outside for workout 2-3 on beautiful 72 degree day. After afternoon lockdown, some NFL, some typing with some reading, good solid day!
Monday, January 6th
After my doctors appointment this past Friday, they had me back for labs , then 8-10 in library then 10-1 outside with the Unit and chow somewhere in there.
At library 1-3, today is last day of teaching class already! No final test, so don’t have much more to say:) Out topic was savings and investments. All you need to know in 25 minutes or less!
After lockdown 3:30-5 , I skipped chili dinner and went outside for a good 5-6:30 workout. A bit cool, but no wind so not too bad. TV/phone call and then reading to finish the day.
Mail at 3:30 was no newspapers again, but I did get a rejection notice for legal mail sent to me from the Canadian Consulate. Apparently the mailroom doesn’t like a stamp saying confidential or something like that. I wonder what I’m supposed to do. Send the BOP mail policy to folks:)? So silly. Meanwhile I’m waiting 30 days+ for 2 packages sent by my attorney and haven’t seen anything. Funny how they always have time to reject mail, but can’t process what they have to the inmate. Incredible!
I called my girlfriend/partner this evening and turns out her son and daughter in law were over with their new baby for dessert as it was her son’s birthday, so timing was perfect to chat with everyone!
Tuesday, January 7th
Was worried we’d wake up to fog, as it rolled in last evening when I was outside working out. But nope, should be a beautiful windy 72 degree day again! Trying to do my normal schedule of education 7:30-10, outside/chow 10-12, back in education till 3.
Learned this morning that I have my twice a year case manager meeting at 6:30 am tomorrow. Its early because of going outside every day at 7:45 and he has to see 10 guys beforehand. Fortunately I’m all prepared with a complete package of topics/agenda, progress since last meeting on classes/productive activities, issues to discuss like going to camp, about 30-40 pages including book reports. I’m sure I’m the first in a very long time(if ever) walking in there with an agenda and package. Usually he hands us a 2 page status report, classes to take and credits toward early release, takes a whole 5 minutes, and out you go. Any questions on what he provides we are supposed to come back during office hours, as in “if its important you’ll come back. If not we don’t waste my time”. I’ve got questions on credits, restitution payments, date for camp etc. Will be interesting to see how it goes:)
On my way to the shower this morning at 6:30 this morning, one of the guys just finished his meeting with the case manager, and his date to halfway house was confirmed for March 13th. The smile on his face was awesome. He’s a really nice person, 50+ years old commercial fisherman, been in for 10+ years for drugs, I’m really happy for him. He doesn’t have any money or are friends/family on the outside in contact with him, so I’m showing him today how to find all the re entry resources for Seattle/Tacoma. He discovered Christ about a year ago, has really seen his past mistakes, and if he gets any kind of help to get started, he should be fine!
Good progress on Jorge(7 year old daughter) and his BP-9. While he wants a compassionate release to help get his daughter to her appointments and be there for her emotionally, he’s concerned about child services becoming involved, so we are walking a fine line in how to write about his needing to be there without creating complications.
Outside till 12, walked a lot of laps,then back to Education. After lockdown skipped dinner and did a great workout 5-6:30. Not bad for January!
Wednesday, January 8th
On the guards 5 am inspection, he was so loud clanking his keys on our door while shining his flashlight in he woke us both up. So we got up and watched new LA fires through our door window till it opened at 6. I showered quickly and went to my case manager meeting at 6:30. Bottom-line, he liked the package , even asked if he could keep it:) Which of course I said YES. He said I have all my First Step points, including the 15/month since July when I asked on a BP-8 to get, happy with my activities, and we agreed to meet in April so he can put me in for transfer to camp. But at first he said October for camp, but my package had the calculation and he couldn’t argue with it:)
Having missed the 7:30 move to Education to avoid going outside, out I went at 7:45. Not too cold which was nice. Went to Education 9-10 and copied and finished paperwork for Jorge, copied my labs/copout for Medical so I can see the doctor with the proof! Nice to get that done:)
Outside 10-12, lots of walking, back to education 12-2, and back outside for a workout 2-3. On the way in, saw my doctor in the hallway checking out(3 pm as they start at 7), told him I’d like to see him tomorrow. He mentioned he was off next couple days(next Monday is a Holiday so a nice 5 day weekend:)) so come by next week.
After lockdown the evening was typing and reading my 6 newspapers that finally showed up, first time this week!
Thursday, January 9th
Woke up to Holiday schedule, meaning extra morning lockdown and not having to go out for construction, as the guards were taking a “day of mourning” for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. Its a nice break for us not having to go outside at 7:30 for a fourth straight day. Last week was New Years, so the contractors worked four days as well. even with that, seems they are much quicker now than they have been with other units. I also think the staff is pushing them a bit. We’ll see, but I thought it would take till end of February, but it might be 2-3 weeks earlier.
On weekend/Holiday schedule the guys sleep in, so I was able to be on/off the computers non stop(every 15 minutes) until lockdown at 9:30. Felt really productive to get blog, letter/emails done. After chow, continued from 11:30-2 as well, as a lot of guys went outside. The I went outside 2-3 and lockdown after till 5. Rest of evening was watching Pen State/Notre dame, typing on/off and a couple phone calls plus reading. Not a bad Thursday:)
Friday, January 10th
Yesterday felt like a Saturday, and today feels like a Monday! Out at 7:30 to library till 10. Working on Jorge’s stuff for he and his daughter. Then analyzing my stack of First Step Act cases to review, and organizing notes so I have the information readable as I need for others and myself. The main categories:
– unused credits/projected credits/their use toward supervised release
– eligible/ineligible sentences
I can honestly say the weather in December through today has been incredible. Low 70’s, cold at night, low 35. Little to no fog, the days comfortable with no crazy wind bringing the wind chill down. Just seems much better than last year when I first got here. Hard to believe just 40-60 miles away those LA/Palisades fires have done so much damage. They had 100 mph winds and we had none of that. The damage and impact on peoples lives is so sad. The disruption to children, schools, family photo memories, and now where to even stay are hard to comprehend. Plus the Olympics in four years! Right now seems so daunting to think about all this. Let alone all the finger pointing and blame this is causing and will need to be addressed.
Outside from 10-1, hot today, 75 and no wind. I had a good cardio workout, then the guard shutdown the weight area again. This one guard has a **** for PISA’s wearing facemasks, and when they won’t follow the no mask rules, he shuts down the area which of course impacts all of us. Really stupid all the way around. He’s here like twice a month,and the other full time guys never reinforce the rules, so why would they worry about face masks when this guy is here? Some guards just love their power and the rest of us get the consequences of no weights…
Rest of the afternoon, 1-3 in Library, lockdown thereafter followed by a good Ohio State/Texas semifinal playoff game and reading to finish the night. Just finished a book, Bad Blood, John Carreyrou, former Wall Street Journal reporter who broke the entire Theranos mess 10 years ago now. Great read, Elizabeth Holmes behavior really was over the top, resulting in over 1mm blood tests being rescinded by the FDA. Think the impact on 1mm people, either with good or bad news which wasn’t true, the results being the opposite. Incredible to fathom!
Praying for Liberty and Freedom and to see my family and Friends soon! BJ
